My Trip to Rivendell Part Seven
by Arabella Thorne
Summary: Still recuperating...driving the elf lord nuts..and at last..I attempt to learn Sindarin...with interesting results...and then I take a little unexpected trip....


I brushed my hair out of my face and sat up straighter. "Do you suppose, I mean, would there be anyone who could teach me Sindarin? Written as well as spoken? I mean, while I am laid up here?"  
  
Elrond put his goblet down, bent and picked me up, taking me back to my room.  
  
"I suppose I could find someone who has time to do so."  
  
As he put me down and drew up the coverlet, I sighed, frowning as I realized something. "But there aren't too many elves who speak old Dwarvish, so that might make it a little harder."  
  
He smiled and said. "I will see what I can devise for you Marie."  
  
"Do you have any crutches or a cane so I can get around?"  
  
"Not yet Marie. Give your leg a few more days and then we'll see."  
  
I slumped in the bed. "I am getting heartily bored with that tapestry!" I said pointing at the hunting scene that filled the wall opposite my bed. "And my hair needs washing, and perhaps---"  
  
"Marie! You sound like a five year-old who hasn't had her nap." He moved closer to me, his eyes intensifying. I flung the blanket over me. "No! don't do that! I'll shut up now!" (The elf lord has NO sense of humor sometimes!)  
  
It was silent a long time, and then I tentatively pulled the blanket down. The room was empty.  
  
He could be such an.elf.....!!  
  
In a moment though, he returned and offered me a goblet. Sighing I took it, giving him a look. It had just better not be a sleeping draught..  
  
I swallowed it quickly making a face and realized it was just something he'd been giving me all along. (No idea what it was, and wasn't going to ask. I had already pushed my limits here.) Putting the goblet aside, I took a deep breath and smiled. Okay, well, the minute he left, I was going to try and do some standing anyway. I was tired of being the human blob. I really wanted to go horseback riding again!!  
  
Then I remembered the hench-elves still about. I sank a bit.no damn it! No more being a victim here!  
  
Elrond had stood there, one eyebrow arched as these thoughts flew around and then I blurted out, "Could I have a knife to defend myself with, in case one of Hollasfar's little friends come by? Or the idiot himself?"  
  
Elrond looked ceiling-ward with a smile. "I assure you, you are safe here. No one but a few trusted elves know you are in this room. And Aragorn and Malwen."  
  
"Well you never know, they could just stumble across me here, or climb up the balcony out there.just a little bitty knife so they know I am not sting- less?"  
  
Elrond shook his head and left. I pouted awhile, arms folded across my chest. Yawning, I decided, I'd try the ol' leg anyway.  
  
Swinging myself to the edge of the bed, I slowly stood up on one leg, holding on with a death grip to the wonderful carved tree that formed one of the headboard's supports. I plopped right back on the bed, weak as a kitten. Taking a deep breath, I tried once more, yawning hugely again. Wavering, I smiled as my leg seemed to hold me up a little longer. Okay! This was going to work!! I stretched my arms out and then leaned on the small bedside table. My head felt a little heavy and I yawned again. From the little table, I hopped a bit more and leaned against the wall.  
  
Boy, it was making me tired! But it had been almost a week (as near as I could reckon) so I was understandably wobbly. I stood still a minute, feeling my eyes droop. How could I be so tired, just taking a few steps? Yawning again, I stumbled back, smacking my bad leg against the table. That woke me up. Wincing, I fell back on the bed and awkwardly crawled back under the covers.  
  
My leg smarted as I shifted a bit on the pillows. Eyes drooping again, I turned my head from the window and fell asleep.  
  
Evening found me wide awake, and just a little bit on edge. I suspected my nap had had a little help from a certain Elven lord, but I really was really, really tired of sleeping! Boy I even began to miss TV.  
  
Sighing, I got up and swung around again to practice standing.  
  
Ta-da! I actually got to the window and looked out over the deep twilight lit grounds. You guys, you have no idea how beautiful, how well, heart- filling Rivendell is! The sweep of terraced lawns and trees, set against the high western edge of the gorge. The sky going deep indigo and crossed by lightly pink sailing clouds. It was just beautiful and made me feel lucky to be alive.  
  
Sighing, I leaned against the window embrasure and stared out contentedly. This was worth the effort.  
  
Turning slowly, I almost had a heart attack as Elrond was standing in the archway leading out to his study, arms folded and unfortunately, not looking too amused. I smiled a bit uncertainly and tried to rush back to the bed a little too fast and fell to my knees. Using the table for leverage I pulled myself up as he swiftly came around the bed.  
  
"I am okay! Honest! I got pretty far this afternoon before I inexplicably wanted to take a nap!" I glowered at him. And hopped around him until I sat on the edge of my bed. "See, I am fine! Just fine! Not as weak as you thought!" I was feeling just a bit cocky and wiggled my toes a bit on the rug.  
  
"Apparently not." He swung my legs up and resignedly I lay back. I was just not going to win this one. He did not fling the blankets over me, but left the room only to return momentarily with a handful of things he set down on the table nearby. Seeing the roll of linen, I said petulantly "The leg is fine! I swear!" I pulled myself up against the headboard, and yanked my nightgown off the wounded leg, smiling. "See, it's just fine....." I glanced down and I bit my lip. I just was NOT going to win this one. Nope. Nope. Nope. A thin line of red crossed the clean linen.  
  
Silently he bent and cut away the bandage and carefully unwrapped it. This was the first time I had actually seen my leg since the day at the river. I could see some stitches, and some, okay.. well, there was some blood, but not very much. No infection at least.  
  
Elrond's long fingers pressed and manipulated the area around the stitches. I only hissed once. Well, heck, I think he pushed too hard. He looked up at me, his expression clearly unhappy.  
  
"Marie, you will stay put or you will sleep until I deem you ready to stand."  
  
He was not kidding, I could see it in his eyes and cowered down a bit.  
  
I didn't trust myself to speak and nodded.  
  
He rubbed salve on my leg and then re-bandaged it. Putting my leg back under the covers. He stood at my side looking down at me slightly frowning. I closed my eyes wincing, waiting for him to do something. He chuckled softly and left.  
  
That elf drives me crazy sometimes. (And okay, I don't imagine I am the smoothest soul for him to deal with. SIGH)  
  
What a surprise then, when after my dinner was cleared away, Fingalan came in with a lap desk. (It was so cunningly carved...leaves and floral bits and a light colored wood for the table part and a darker wood for the drawer the quills and sheets of fine cream parchment were laid inside. A work of beauty).  
  
He said something in Sindarin.I assumed it was "Good evening" or something polite. I tried to echo it back and he actually smiled!  
  
It was an amazing session too!! Fingalan was actually patient with me! No snarky comments about being "human" or too slow to get the lingo. I am not an idiot with languages, I have a good ear and took Spanish and French while in school. It's a challenge. But Sindarin is so, well.....different. It was actually fun.  
  
Fingalan was growing up!  
  
(Wahhh! And then what was I going to do!!) The lap desk of course was to practice my letters, which were very Celtic in look, and were very hard for me to decipher, especially when run together into words. (We will not even talk about Quenya, thankyouverymuch.)  
  
When Fingalan had had enough, and I was getting a head too full to think, he put everything aside and told me how well I had done.I think, because he said it in slow Sindarin. Thanking him, I then asked him for a few phrases I could say to Lord Elrond next time he came in---which was usually in the morning.  
  
And I practiced them very carefully, even going as far as to write them down phonetically in English just to make sure I had them down pat. I couldn't wait!  
  
The next morning I awoke, actually feeling a little more chipper. Ooh I was going to impress the leggings off the elf lord when he showed up with my morning dose of whatever it was.  
  
I rubbed my hands together and was about to swing out of bed and practice my stroll to the window, but decided I would wait on that.I really didn't like the idea of sleeping for a week. Talk about BORING!  
  
It was a cloudy day, and so I was just in the process of lighting a small branched candlestick at my bedside (only standing a little to get a good angle with the tinder and flint) when..shoes! Lord Elrond walked in with my breakfast and set it on the table opposite from the one holding the candlestick. (He is usually not the busboy lest you get the wrong impression, but sometimes, I guess he crosses paths with the elf bringing it from the kitchens).  
  
I sat down really quickly and smiled watching him closely. There was a long moment of silence. And then I sighed, relaxing slightly.the only dark grey storm clouds I saw were out the window, thank goodness.  
  
Scrambling back under the covers, I sat up formally and rattled off a "Good morning my lord. How are you this fine day?" in Sindarin. (Okay so the day was only fine if you were a water fowl! It's all I knew how to say!)  
  
His face twitched a bit and then he replied smoothly.  
  
"Good morning Marie. I am fine and the weather is.......lovely." Or words to that effect.  
  
He has a wonderful.well like I said early on.Eastern European accent.for lack of a better aural description.it is rather sexy, like an actor playing a spy in a movie set on the French Riviera or something. Not low and throaty, more even-toned, urbane.Sorry, I know that sounds pretty wacky, but I just wanted to give you an idea of how his voice sounds. Of course his tonalities varied, depending on the situation....He is especially impressive when he is angry......and you start looking for something to hide under.  
  
Oh good, this was going well! So I spouted off another line Fingalan had given me about the weather and what were your plans for the day.  
  
Lord Elrond's face went still and his eyebrows both almost crawled into his hair. He said something slowly in Sindarin and a bit confused, I didn't know what else to say, so I repeated my sentence and smiled uncertainly at him. Had I mispronounced something?  
  
Elrond looked at me a moment and then burst out laughing!!!  
  
I was so shocked I just sat there with my mouth hanging open. (He has a great free laugh, by the way).  
  
He did not say anything, but left the room still laughing. I fell back against the headboard staring at the boring Elvish tapestry across from my bed and the embroidered deer running like mad across it. (I knew where every thread was!)  
  
What in all of Middle Earth had I said? What had I misspoke? I went through the sentences in my head and even looked at my crib sheet. I am sure that is what Fingalan had told me!  
  
In a few minutes, the elf lord had returned with my morning goblet and handed it to me. His eyes were half closed in mirth still and there were even tears in the corners, I swear!  
  
Sighing, feeling a bit deflated, I asked resignedly, "Okay, what did I say wrong?"  
  
"You said nothing wrong Marie. Well, not exactly. Your pronunciation was fine. It is just what you said that was.unexpected."  
  
"What I said? I said "The weather is lovely today, my lord. What are your plans for the morning? I am practicing my Sindarin." My voice trailed off as I saw he was about to laugh again.  
  
"All right! What is SO funny?"  
  
"You said: "I am hungry for bear this morning my lord. Might we go fishing in the barn?"  
  
"NO! You are making that up!"  
  
"No, I thought you were!"  
  
We were both silent at that. I drank the medicine and put the goblet aside, making a face. Even after a week that stuff still made me pucker.  
  
"Fingalan!!" I burst out. "He did this to me!! And here I was thinking I'd impress you with my command of the language and he goes and sets me up like a-a five-year-old trying to find a paper stretcher!!"  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"Never mind my lord. A bad analogy." I slumped back in my pillows. "Well back to square one, I guess."  
  
"I shall talk to Fingalan. Perhaps it would be better if you had lessons with Garnellin."  
  
"Perhaps it would! And I was thinking how much Fingalan matured! I wish there was some way to get back at him."  
  
Elrond's eyes widened at that. "I shall think on it Marie."  
  
Smiling, he left me to my breakfast, taking the empty goblet with him.  
  
Lessons actually went much better with Garnellin, as he had much more patience and was a bit more well-versed in the whys and wherefores of word usage and spelling.  
  
Three days passed, and everything was actually improving.(For crying out loud, I AM in Rivendell. Are things going to get worse??? Highly unlikely!) I was able to get around by hopping and the help of a crutch (Lord Elrond relented) and my Sindarin was improving.it certainly helps when it is spoken around you all the time.  
  
And at last, I went outside under my own steam, and dressed in regular clothes. The recent rains had made the air swell wonderful and flowers were beginning to bloom in earnest in the gardens. Maybe I would be able to see the perfume garden in full glory!  
  
I was out in a small garden, made of artfully placed rocks and boulders with small flowering plants tucked in the crevices. A little waterfall fell on one side into a pool and then bubbled out and down the terrace to the next alcove. A lovely design: sort of a waterfall of gardens!  
  
Reading a sentence I had written in Sindarin, I was admiring my handwriting, when a shadow crossed my parchment. I put aside my lap desk and looked up at an unknown elf. He was tall and had dark brown hair, the sides pulled back, grey eyes, a small nose and a generous mouth. He was dressed in forest green and brown. I carefully said "Mae govannen mellon."  
  
And got no reply except a rather curt, "Marie?" Nodding, mystified I figured he had been sent to fetch me for someone and just didn't speak old Dwarvish.  
  
Silently, he reached for my elbow and helped me up and waited while I got my crutch. Realizing I could not take my lap desk, I left it on the stone bench. It wasn't going to rain, so I figured, if someone found it, they would know whose it was. I was not far from the room I had using been next to Lord Elrond's study.  
  
The elf remained silent as we went along. He did not push or pull me but let me set the pace. But as we continued to go along, my leg was getting tired and finally, looking around, I saw we had gone to the far eastern side of the house up against the gorge wall where many caves provided even temperatures for the storing of bulk foodstuffs.  
  
"Who are we meeting here? The head cook?" I knew he didn't understand, but I knew I had to say something. He politely bowed and indicated the mouth of the cave we were nearby, at the end of a row of them. The door was open and what I think was the smell of cheese wafted out from the dark maw before us.  
  
Stepping in I called out, "Hello? Anyone here? It is I, Marie." I turned to look at the elf and then realized with a sinking heart I was in deep doo- doo here. The look on the elf's face was nasty and with out further ado, he quickly came up to me, holding a knife hilt and thwacked me on the head.  
  
I sank without a word into darkness.  
  
When I woke up, I was tied hand and foot, gagged and blind folded, and I still could smell cheese. So I had been left in the cave. I wanted to kick myself seven ways from Sunday for my stupidity, but I just hadn't been thinking about Hollasfar as I had been so excited to learn Sindarin and practice writing these last few days. And happy to finally get out of bed under my own steam.  
  
I sat up, wincing as my head hurt. Just what I needed. I tried to get comfortable and finally managed to lean against something. Now what? What was Hollasfar thinking? He was really wacked if he thought that once again, this kind of thing was going to work. But I realized, perhaps he really did not care, that he was desperate and would do whatever he thought necessary.  
  
Because I could not see, I had no idea where the door was, and heck, I could not yell anyway.  
  
I had the enviable task of sitting there in the dark, my legs cramping up something fierce, especially the healing one, dying of thirst, a million 'what ifs' running screaming through my brain.  
  
Then I heard the door open, it was in front of me. I wiggled some and then heard a big thump near me. Were they throwing things at me? I scooted back, but wasn't able to get very far before I hit a wall.  
  
Then I heard a moan.  
  
Oh-oh. Company. But whose? 


End file.
